Electrical agricultural system.



C. S. DONEY. ELECTRICAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED 11313.27, 1912. RENBWED 00T. 22, 1912.

1,044,751. 1 1 Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

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Grtoznugd cOLuMBlA PLANOURAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

C. S. DONEY.

ELECTRICAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MR2?, 1912. RBNBWED 00T. 22, 1912.

1,044,75 1. Patented Nov. 19, 191.2.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2A Gwenn?! CQLUMEIA PLANOQRAPH C0.. wASHlNn'roN, D. c.

C. S. DONEY.

ELECTRICALl AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATIONv FILED FEB. 2'7, 1912. RBNBWED 00T. 22, 1912.

COLUMB'IA PLANOGRAPH C0.,wAzsmrmruNl D1 cm Patented Nov. 1.9, 1912.

UNITE@ @FAIRE PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. DONEY, OF COLUMBIA FALLS, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR TO DONEY ELECTRICAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM, OF COLUMBIA FALLS, MONTANA, A CORPORATION OF MONTANA.

Specification of 'Letters Patent.

Patented Nov., 19, 1912.

Application filed February 27, 1912, Serial No. 680,263. Renewed October 22, 1912. Serial No. 727,245.

To all whom it may concern:

Ee it known that I, CHARLES S. Donny, a citizen or' the United States, residing at Columbia Falls, in the county of Flathead and State ot Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Agricultural Systems, of which the following is a specilication.

ll/ly invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in agricultural systems ot the type disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 982,175, granted January 17, 1911.

rll`he object of my invention is to improve the particular construction disclosed in said patent whereby my invention is rendered more e'tllcient and economical.

"W ith this and other objects in view my invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements ot parts the preferred 'form ot which will be tirst described in connection with the accompany ing drawings and Vthen the invention particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein the same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs: Figure 1 is a perspective view representing a lield equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view looking from one end of the iield; Fig. 3 is a side view of the preferred form of trolley; Fig. 4 is an end view oi the construction shown in Fig. 3; Fig. is an end elevation partly in section of the coniplete trolley and pole; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a trolley with the parts shown in separated relation.

10, 10 designate a pair ot' electric conductors shown as supported upon poles 11 at each side of the field to be covered by the system. rlihese conductors may be of any desired construction, either a bar or a wire, and may be supported in any desired way. These conductors are connected to any suitable source of electrical energy by which current may be supplied to them. The conductors extend parallel to each other on opposite sides of the iield to be covered by the system. Extending between the parallel conductors 10 are a pair ci transverse conductors 12, 12 extending transversely across the field between the conductors 10, and at each end are connected to a vertically eze tending bow 14 connected by an arm 15. to a horizontally extending bow 16, which latter carries at its outer ends the horizontal trolley wheels ruiming` on the conductors 10. rlhe advantage in having a pair of trolley wheels 17 is that they will mo-re readily ride over the connections 18 between the conductors 10 and the poles 11 than would a single wheel. One of the conductors 12 is connected in circuit with one of the conductors 10 and the other conductor 12 is in circuit with the other conductor 10. In the form shown this is effected by interposing an insulator 19 between one of the conductors 12 and a bow 14 and another insulator between the other conductor 12 and the other bow 14.

20 designates a series ot spacers which eX- tend between the conductors l2 and are connected to these conductors by means of insulated connectors 21, whereby the conductors 12 are held in spaced parallel relation 'for the full width ot the lield.

In order to prevent sagging` of the conductors 12 and to take the major portion oiE the weight of the conductors 10, I provide at suitable intervals across the field supports which preferably are attached to certain of the spacers 20. In the form of my invention shown each of these supports consists of a vertical rod 22 connected at its upper end by a horizontal arm 23 to a spacer 20. and at its lower end a tube 24 extends up from a track portion 25 provided with supporting wheels 26 adapted to run over the ground of the lield. In order to provide a yielding connection between the rod 22 and the tube 24 I provide a spring 27 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) located in the tube 24 and bearing against the lower end of the rod 22, and in order to limit the movement of the rod 22 in the tube 24 I have shown the lower end ot' the rod as being provided with a pin 28 working in the closed slot 29. From the foregoing description it will be seen that these supports will hold the conductors 12 in their elevated position, taking a large amount of the load off the conductors 10, and at the same time the springs 27 will permit the supporting wheels to readily pass over inequalities in the ground.

30 designates a tract-ion engine, prefer ably of the type shown in my application 677,648, tiled February 15, 1912, though any desired electric motor propelled type may be used, as its particular construction forms no part of the invention covered by this applieation. rI`he engine 30 is provided with a trolley pole of novel construction which is adapted to coperate with the transverse conductors l2 and supply current to the motor of the engine.

In the particular form of my invention shown a bracket 3l is secured to a suitable portion of the frame from which extends the vertical tube 32, in which is slidably mounted the tube 33 to the upper end of which is pivoted the horizontal arm 34, in one end of which is fixed the vertical arm 35 carrying at its upper end a horizontal tube 36 in which is slidingly mounted a rod 39 having the perforated ears 40 in which is pivoted one end of the oppositely extending arms 4l, carrying at their outer ends the bows 42 provided with vertically disposed sleeves 43 in which slide the stems 44 carrying trolley wheels 45 mounted in brackets 4G secured to the ends of the stems 44. In order to yieldingly hold the wheels 45 in contact with the conductors I surround each of the stems 44 with a coil spring 47 which extends between its sleeve 43 and its bracket 46 and 48 is a pin passed through the stem on the opposite side of the sleeve from the spring to limit the movement of the trolley wheel. It is to be noted that the pair of trolley wheels carried by one of the arms 4I run on top of the upper of the conductors l2, while the wheels carried by the other arm 4l run beneath the other conductor l2.

In order to yieldingly hold the trolley wheels 45 in contact with the conductors and to allow any movement of the vehicle with relation to the conductors, I mount on the pivot bolt 50, by means of which the arms 4l are pivoted in the ears 40, a pair of springs comprising a spiral central portion 5l, with oppositely extending arms 52. These springs are placed on the pivot 50, so that the ends of one of the springs will bear against one side of the pins 53 of the arms 41, and the arms of the other spring bear against the other side of said pins, whereby said arms 4l will be yieldingly held in vertical position and any movement of the arms from said position will be yieldingly resisted by one spring or the other. Furthermore, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the movement of the trolley toward and away from the conductors causes, through the yielding of the arms 41, the wheels to tilt in a direction to resist being forced o the conductor wires.

In the tube 36 I mount a coil spring 54, one end of which bears against the end of the rod 37, the other end of which preferably bears against an adjustable set screw 55 in the end of the tube 36.

56 is a pin carried by the rod 37 and extending through slots 57 in the tube to limit the movement of the rod 37 in the tube.

58 is a counter balance which I preferably adjustably mount on the bar 34 to counter- Vbalance to at least some extent the weight of the trolley structure.

In order to render the movement of the transverse conductors 12 more certain under the action of the movement of the vehicle, and to steady the trolley on the conductors I provide a pair of spaced guide wires 59, held in parallel relation by means of spacers 60, which extend between the wires at suitable intervals, the wires at their ends being connected to the supporting poles 22.

Mounted on the lower portion of the tube 35 is a trolley structure 61 which in form and as shown is preferably a duplicate of the trolley structure running on the conductors l2. In order to guide the supports 22 in their movement over the length of the field I preferably provide a guide wire G2 extending lengthwise of the field on each side thereof and mounted upon the poles ll below the conductors 10. The poles 22 are provided with bracket arms 63 extending out therefrom on which is secured a bow 64, carrying at its ends wheels G5 running upon the guides 52. These guides operate to hold the supports 22 vertical.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not intend to limitI myself to the specific form shown and described.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electrical agricultural system, the combination with a pair of main conductors, one located on each side of the area to be covered and parallel to each other, of a pair of transverse conductors arranged parallel to each other and in the same vertical plane, said conductors being provided with trolley wheels at their ends running on the main conductors, a series of intermediate supports connected at their upper ends to the transverse conductors and provided with wheels on their lower ends, a guide wire carried by the supports and extending between the same, an electrically propelled vehicle, a trolley pole carried by the vehicle, trolley wheels on the pole adapted to engage the transverse conductors, and means also carried by the trolley pole to engage the guide wire.

2. In an electrical agricultural system, the combination with a pair of main conductors one located on each side of the area to be covered and parallel to each other, a pair of transverse conductors arranged parallel to each other in the same vert-ical plane, said conductors being provided with trolley wheels at their ends running on said main conductors, an electrically propelled vehicle,

a vertical trolley pole carried by said vehicle, ineans permitting the trolley pole to rotate on its vertical axis, an arm extending from the upper end of the trolley pole, pairs of trolley wheels supported on the arm, one pair of said trolley wheels being adapted to engage the upper surface of the upper transverse conductor, and the other pair of trolley wheels the under surface of the lower transverse conductor, and ineans for yieldingly holding said trolley wheels in engageinent with their respective conductors.

3. ln an electrical agricultural system, the combination with a pair of main conductors one located on each side of the area to be covered and parallel with each other, of a pair of transverse conductors arranged parallel to each other and in the same vertical plane, said conductors being provided with trolley wheels at their ends running on the Inain conductors, an electrically propelled vehicle, a vertical trolley pole mounted on the vehicle, means permitting the trolley pole to rotate on its vertical axis, an arm pivoted at the upper end of the trolley pole, a pair of arms pivoted in the end of said first mentioned arm, said pivoted arm ex tending in opposite directions from the pivot, springs tending to yieldingly force said wheels toward each other, one pair of said wheels being adapted to engage the upper surface of the upper transverse conductor, and the other pair of wheels adapted to engage the lower surface of the lower transverse conductor.

4. In an electrical agricultural system, the combination with a pair of main conductors one located on each side of the area to be covered and parallel to each other, a pair of guide wires one located in the same vertical plane with each main conductor, of a pair of transverse conductors arranged parallel to each other, said conduct-ors being provided with trolley wheels at their ends running on said main conductors, a series of intermediate supports connected at their upper ends to the transverse conductors and provided with wheels on their lower ends, a guide wire carried by the supports and extending between the saine, guiding wheels carried by the intermediate conductors and running on the first mentioned guide wires, an electrically propelled vehicle, a trolley pole carried by the vehicle, trolley wheels on the pole adapted to engage the transverse conductors and means also carried by the trolley pole to engage the guide wires extending between the intermediate supports.

ln testimony whereof l my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES S. DONEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. S. LIVINGSTON, FRANCIS M. PI-IELPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the ommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

